Glasgow: India put up a valiant fight before going down 4-2 to world champions and title-holders Australia in their third group match of the men’s hockey competition at the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday.
Living upto their reputation, Australia built on a two-goal burst in the space of two minutes and were set to go into the breather with a 3-0 cushion before India pulled one back at the fag end of the first half.
India managed to re-group themselves and put up a stronger defence in the second half, where they conceded one and scored one.
Chris Ciriello (14th minute, 49th), Simon Orchard (16th) and Jacob Whetton (26th) were the goal scorers for Australia, while Rupinder Singh (34th) and Ramandeep Singh (48th) sounded the board for India.
After two easy victories, it was supposed to be a real test for the Indian team and coach Terry Walsh’s boys didn’t fare too badly against the Kookaburras, who had thrashed them 8-0 in Delhi four years ago.
Australia, however, didn’t take long to assert their supremacy as the 2010 Champions scored twice within a space of two minutes to push India on the back foot.
Ciriello drew the first blood when he converted their second penalty corner while a minute later Orchard scored a field goal when he capitalised on a defensive lapse to slot home from close range.
In the 26th minute, Whetton made good use of a defensive lapse by Rupinder outside the semicircle as he sent the ball to the left of the post, beating P R Shreejesh on the way as Australia led 3-0.
Two minutes from the breather, India earned a penalty corner and Rupinder redeemed himself when he sent one hovering over the defenders to help India go into the break with a 3-1 deficit.
In the 48th minute, an opportunist Ramandeep brushed off two defenders and dived in a shot to find the inside of the post as India reduced the difference to 3-2.
However, Australia didn’t waste any time as one minute later, Ciriello scored with a penalty stroke, finding the left of the goalpost.
India will next take on South Africa on July 31.
Indian women annihilate Trinidad & Tobago
Meanwhile, a dominant Indian women’s hockey team annihilated hapless Trinidad and Tobago by a whopping 14-0 margin in their third game of the Games.
In a completely lop-sided match, India made mincemeat of the Caribbean nation as they smashed as many as nine goals in the first half itself, before pumping in five more after the breather.
The Trinidadians’ leaky defence let them down as eight Indian players entered the scoresheet at the Glasgow National Hockey Center.
Vandana Katariya (4th minute), Dipika Thakur (11th, 27th, 64th), Rani Rampaul (12th, 19th, 25th), Jaspreet Kaur (18th, 41st, 48th), Ritu Rani (22nd), Anuradha Thokchom (31st), Anupa Barla (53rd), Ritusha Arya (68th) scored for India.
Like their male counterparts, the Indian women will next face South Africa on Wednesday. (PTI)
